Once Upon A Gleeful Time
by DaniNatureGirl313
Summary: I don't watch the show that often, so my memory's a little bit foggy, but the tribute episode to Cory was enough to inspire this. Basically, Finn's cousin, Carrie, visits the school in hopes of seeing the world he left behind. She meets all his friends. Of course, there's music involved. Hope you all enjoy.


**Once Upon a Gleeful Time**

A sunny day is usually something to be excited over. It means all the outdoor plans you had actually have a chance of coming to fruition. It means we all get another clear dose of Vitamin E. It means the world around us gets life. However, on one particular sunny day, at one particular high-school…it meant anything but good times, warm skin, or thoughts of life. On this day, a group of students were sharing memories of a close friend, a surrogate brother, who they'd loved so much and missed so deeply. They were all gathered together in a circle on the auditorium's stage, listening in reverent silence as one of their own played a James Taylor song on his guitar. They were so wrapped up and so focused, that they didn't hear the sound of footsteps, drawing closer to where they were. They didn't even hear the door creaking open, or notice the pair of forest-green eyes watching them from the shadows.

A 5'6 seventeen-year-old girl stood in the wings of stage left, her sweet-looking heart-shaped baby face squeezed between the door and doorframe. Freckles covered her cheeks, and her chestnut hair was styled into two braids. A baggy windbreaker hung limply on her body, covering the pink tank top she wore with "Country Girl" written on it. Her cowboy boots were scuffed up in the front, and there were a few slightly-ripped patches in her jeans. As she listened to a blond boy sing "I've Seen Fire, And I've Seen Rain", her breath caught in her throat, and tears began welling up in her eyes. She wouldn't let them out, though, since she didn't want those other kids to know she was there. Suddenly, a bit of dust by the air vent flew past her face, making her sneeze. And thus, her cover was blown.

Though the song had long since been finished, the students still remained in place on the stage. At least, they did…until they heard a loud sneeze. Every head popped up and turned in the direction of stage left. One of them, a brown-haired boy with fair skin spotted what looked like a face in the doorway, ducking back in fear of being caught. He cleared his throat and stood up, walking over to the door as he said, "It's okay. Come on in. We're just playing some music, you know…having fun." When he got no response, he gently pushed open the door, and caught sight of a faint shape in the backstage darkness, a person standing behind an old piano. He softly called a second time, "Come on."

Realizing there was no way out now, the girl stepped out of hiding and into the light. She walked over to the boy, keeping her gaze shyly at the ground. In her thick Texas accent, she said, "I'm sorry for sneaking around like that. I was told the glee club was meeting in here, and I wanted to meet y'all. The song you were playing was so pretty, and I just wanted to stay and listen. I've...I've kind of got a special reason to be here, same as you do." With that, she raised her head and looked the boy directly in the eyes, extending her hand in greeting, and continued, "I'm Carrie Hudson, Finn's cousin." The boy's eyes widened when he recognized her. Now, he knew why she looked so familiar. He shook her hand and said, "Pleasure to meet you. He talked about you a lot." He put his arm around her shoulder and urged her to "come on in". He led her back to center-stage, explaining to all his confused friends, "Hey, guys, um…this-this is Carrie. She's Finn's cousin, and she wanted to hang out with us for a while. Is that cool?" To both their reliefs, the rest of the group gave their agreements.

Carrie pulled up a chair and sat backwards on it, giving weak smiles at everyone. The blond boy who'd been playing earlier put down his guitar and asked, "So, Carrie, tell us a little bit about yourself…where you're from, what kind of stuff you're into…things like that." She took a deep breath and replied, "Well, for starters…I'm from a small town just outside of Corpus Christi. I like basketball, photography, theater, and rock-climbing, and I'm on my school's swim team. I'm seventeen, but I graduated high school two years early, so I'm in college now." One of the girls whistled in amazement. "Wow…you must be a super-genius or something." "Ha-ha, well I don't know if I'd go right to _that_, but…Finn always supported me in everything. He never minded that I was two years _younger_, but two years _ahead_ of him…never made me feel geeky about it, or anything like that."

At the sound of their friend's name, everyone got quiet again, except for the boy who'd brought her in. He asked, "Theater, huh? That's right up our alley. Doing anything special with that?" "The closest I've ever come to super-stardom was when I got to be the understudy for Meg in my high-school's production of 'Phantom of the Opera'. I had a great time with that. It's my favorite play. Actually…Actually, Finn's the one who told me to try out for it. I didn't want to, because I was so nervous. But he told me the experience would teach me a lot of things I could use later in life…and boy, he was right. I actually plan to start a troupe for disabled kids in my hometown. I don't want them to grow up, thinking their problems are going to hold them back from having the future they want, like I did." Someone, but she couldn't remember who, said, "That's a very noble thing to do. I'm sure your cousin would be very proud." Her voice cracked slightly as she replied, "Thanks. I'd like to think he would be, too." The blond boy then asked, "So…any special stories you'd like to share about Finn? I mean, we're all doing it, so I just figured you…u-unless you don't want to, of course." "No, no, it's okay. I _do_ want to. I just…I'd just rather not sing or talk anymore right now. I can play the piano, though, if _that's_ alright." Everyone nodded, and Carrie made her way over to the battered old piano.

She sat down and took a deep breath, stretching her fingers before lowering them to the keys. Focusing as hard as she possibly could, she began playing a tune that all the kids recognized: the Phil Collins song "You'll Be in My Heart", from the "_Tarzan_" soundtrack. She softly sang two lines, barely enough for anyone else to hear: "This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here, don't you cry." It progressed as normal, until she got to one specific part. This time, she raised her voice up a couple of notches. It was still soft, though, and it cracked slightly with emotion as she sang, "When destiny calls you, you must be strong. I may not be with you, but you've got to hold on. They'll see in time. I know we'll show them together, because you'll be in my heart. Believe me you'll be in my heart from this day on, now and forevermore." Her voice grew increasingly weak and strained with the effort to not cry, as she said the final piece: "Just look over your shoulder. I'll be there always." She could hear a few people sniffling behind her. The blond boy moved to sit beside her and put his arm around her shoulder. An African-American girl patted her back and told her she "did a good job". She smiled at them both, before asking if she could have a few minutes alone. When they told her yes, she said, "I'll be hanging around the school all day, so I guess I'll see you guys later. Bye."

Carrie wandered aimlessly around the school for most of the day, only talking to a select few people. She left campus just once to pick up some Arby's, a Rice Crispy treat, and a bottle of Dr. Pepper for lunch. She was eating in the now-empty cafeteria, reading her romance novel at the same time, when she suddenly heard faint noises coming from a distant classroom. She threw the remnants of her food away, closed her book, and began walking towards that area. Not wanting to intrude on what seemed to be a very personal and reflective moment, she silently pressed her ear to the door. As she was really starting to get her focus, a dark-haired girl in a cheerleader's uniform appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. The girl smiled and lightly tapped her shoulder, quietly asking who she was. She replied, "I'm Carrie Hudson. It's nice to meet you." "Likewise, but with that accent, you're definitely not from around here." A giggle was followed by, "No, I'm from Texas. I came into town a few days ago for my cousin's funeral." The girl's eyes widened slightly, and she gave a quick understanding nod. Carrie then told her, "I wanted to get to know Finn's friends, to see the world he knew through his eyes." The girl nodded a second time, patting her shoulder and leading her into the classroom.

Carrie's eyes quickly scanned the area. She was greeted with smiles and waves from a few of the students on the risers, the ones she met earlier in the day. Seconds later, a tall man with short, light-brown hair walked towards her. She knew he had to be their teacher. He smiled at her as he extended his hand and said, "You must be Carrie. I've heard a little bit about you from some of my kids here. Um…look, why don't you pull up a chair, okay? We're all sharing some of our favorite stories and memories about Finn. Seriously, have a seat." As she shook his hand, she thanked him for being so polite, and she gladly accepted his offer to sit down. She sat next to the African-American girl, occasionally giving quiet comments about the different stories that were being shared.

Just over ten minutes later, the teacher returned his attention to her, and he asked her to tell her own story, adding, "That is, of course, only if you want to." "No, it's okay. I want to." Since she was sandwiched in-between two other people, the older man helped her move her way out and down to the front of the room. She sat on a stool, fully aware that everyone's eyes were on her. She cleared her throat and said, "For those of you who don't already know, I'm Carrie Hudson. I'm Finn's younger cousin. I was at the funeral, but I wanted to experience his world a little bit more before I went back home." She briefly paused to swallow back the urge to get choked up before continuing, "I've always loved the play _Phantom of_ _the Opera_, just as I now love its sequel, _Love Never Dies_. I connected so much with the story, and Finn knew that. He said that if I tried hard enough, practiced and got enough experience, I'd get a part in one of those shows someday. We even used to sing 'All I Ask of You' every year for our family's Christmas party. When…W-When I got the phone call that he had passed, I immediately began thinking of songs from both plays, and how we used to enjoy singing them together. One in particular comes to my mind right now."

She cleared her throat and took a deep breath, waiting to make sure she had everyone's undivided attention. Only adding two minor changes, she sang, "Once upon another time, I knew how your story would end. And maybe I was wrong. But now, the moment's gone. Were it still that other time, I'd make time itself somehow bend. But now, I'm not that strong, and time keeps moving on. We love. We live. We give what we can give, and take what little we deserve. We love. We live. We give what we can give, and take the love that we deserve…once upon another time." Carrie's voice finally broke on the word 'time', and the tears came pouring out. Almost instantly, many pairs of feet suddenly rushed towards her, and she found herself embraced in a collective warm hug. She didn't bother to count the hands that were rubbing soothing circles into her arms and upper back, and the comforting voices in her ears had seemed to be a mixed-up blur. The first person she clung to was the first person she'd met earlier that day, the dark-haired boy with the high-pitched voice. She kept trying to make herself stop crying as she listened to him whisper in her ear, "Relax. It's okay." As her sobs calmed down, she gently pried herself free of the group and told them, "That was really sweet of you guys, to just accept me into your little fold like this. I really appreciate it, and I always will. Like I said this morning, I'll be sticking around until school ends today, so I hope to run into y'all again." She waved at them over her shoulder as she left the room, and they all waved back.

Another hour later, following a trip to the library, Carrie found herself wandering towards the senior locker area. Suddenly, she froze mid-step. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw a mass of flowers, cards, teddy-bears, and a few other items in front of what had to be her cousin's old locker. As she walked towards it from the left, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted another girl approaching it from the right. A man was with her, and though she thought he could've been the teacher from before, Carrie didn't feel like making sure. She casually tried to walk past them, ignoring their conversation, but her efforts to go unnoticed proved futile. She felt a delicate hand grab her wrist and give a gentle squeeze. She turned around to face the girl, who was smiling despite the tears trickling down the sides of her face. With her dark hair, thin jaw, and slightly-tanned skin, she was easy for Carrie to recognize. The girl's name came out in a whisper: "Rachel." The two young women embraced, although they'd never actually met face-to-face before.

As the pulled apart, Carrie said, "Finn showed me your picture. He talked about you constantly. He called you the love of his life." Rachel sniffled at hearing that before saying, "The same goes for you. He was an only child, and he knew your end of the family was mostly girls." "Yeah, it is. I'm the middle child with two sisters. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Allie and Tanya more than anything, but sometimes…sometimes, I just needed a male role model to talk to and be comforted by. That was especially true after my dad died. I think that sometimes, while still being a more of a brother than a cousin, Finn tried to also step in as a surrogate dad. He taught me so much. He seemed to have wisdom beyond his years, despite the fact that only two _actual_ years separated us." They were both silent for a few minutes, once more hugging as they thought back on some good times they had with their shared loved one. After that, Carrie promised Rachel that she'd "see her later", before walking to the gym to get another soda.

When she returned to the locker, the area around it seemed to be completely devoid of life. There weren't even any sounds to be heard, which evoked an eerily ironic reminder of the phrase "quiet as a tomb". Carrie stayed frozen in front of the makeshift shrine, staring into thin air and wondering what her beloved cousin would do if he could see this. She mumbled under her breath, "Knowing Finn, he'd probably say something like 'Hey, come on, guys. Quit it now'." "What?" The out-of-nowhere voice frightened her and made her jump. A slightly-deeper-than-most female voice asked, "_Jeez_, kid, didn't mean to _scare_ you." Forcing a smile as she tried to catch her breath, Carrie replied, "It's okay. It's fine. No problem at all. Uh…you look kind of familiar." When they shook hands, the older blond woman introduced herself as "Sue", and she said that she was the cheerleading coach. Then, they both returned their focus to the decorated locker.

Faintly behind her, she heard Sue say, "He was a good dude…a really good dude. I know it's weird, seeing as we just met and all, but…I see a lot of him in you." Carrie gave a weak smile and said, "Thanks. He was my biggest idol as a kid. I always wanted to be just like Finn. There are times when…times w-…there are t-times when I still feel him with me, you know?" Though it was way out of her usual character, Sue put an arm around the nearly-crying teenager and replied simply, "So do I, kid." Even though another round of tears was slowly sniffling its way up through her body, Carrie suddenly felt the urge to sing again.

In a soft, tender voice, she sang, "Every now and then, we find a special friend who never lets us down. Who understands it all, reaches out each time we fall. You're the best friend that I've found. I know you can't stay. A part of you will never ever go away. Your heart will stay. I'll make a wish for you, and hope it will come true, if life would just be kind to such a gentle mind. If you lose your way, think back on yesterday. Remember me this way. Remember me this way. I don't need eyes to see the love you bring to me, no matter where I go. And I know you'll be there. Forevermore a part of me, you're everywhere. I'll always care. I'll make a wish for you, and hope it will come true, that life would just be kind to such a gentle mind. If you lose your way, think back on yesterday. Remember me this way. Remember me this way. And I'll be right behind your shoulder, watching you. I'll be standing by your side in all you do, and I won't ever leave as long as you believe. You just believe."

Suddenly, a throat behind her cleared, and Carrie realized that she now had more people around her than just Sue. Everybody she'd met in that entire day was gathered around the locker. Then, she realized that what she'd been distracted enough to think was an echo was actually all the kids, singing along with her. She gave a weak, watery smile at them, and they smiled back. She then turned around and finished the song with, "I'll make a wish for you, and hope it will come true, that life would just be kind to such a gentle mind. And if you lose your way, think back on yesterday. Remember me this way. Remember me this way…this way." Taking a quick, deep breath, she went down to one knee and bowed her head, silently praying for her cousin. She couldn't see it, but she could sense that everyone else was doing the same.

After placing a rose by what was now being referred to as "Finn's Tree", Carrie climbed into her car and prepared to leave the school. The day seemed to have gone on forever, but she really enjoyed it. A reflective smile crossed her face. Though she wished the reasons and circumstances for her visit could've been much better, she was still happy to have made so many new friends in such a short span of time. She knew her cousin would've wanted it that way, since he often teased her about how much she needed to "get out more". She did a quick once-over of all the new numbers in her cell phone before starting up the engine of her car. As she began pulling out of the parking lot, she glanced up at the sky and blew a kiss to it. She couldn't know for sure, but at one point, she could've sworn she saw Finn up there, smiling warmly down at her.


End file.
